Birmingham City
Hull City
3
0
FT
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Birmingham ended their harrowing run of seven successive Championship defeats with a morale-boosting 3-0 home win over Hull to spark off their bid to avoid relegation.It was sweet revenge for the humiliating 6-1 defeat they suffered at the hands of Hull earlier this season and was their first win under new manager Garry Monk.Showing great determination to improve their precarious position, Birmingham were impressive winners as they chalked up their best victory of the season, Jota's first two goals...

Ipswich Town
Hull City
0
3
FT
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Hull eased their relegation fears with a convincing 3-0 win at Ipswich with the result virtually condemning the home side to another season in the Championship and dismissing their outside chances of gaining a play-off place.It was the second win on the trot for the Tigers, who are now nine points clear of the drop zone, having beaten the Tractor Boys' arch rivals Norwich at the weekend.It also signalled the fifth home game on the trot for Ipswich where they have failed to score.Goals came from Markus...

Hull City
Norwich City
4
3
FT
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James Maddison scored a first-half hat-trick and still ended up on the losing side as Hull boosted their survival hopes with a 4-3 Sky Bet Championship win over Norwich.Four penalties were awarded - and converted - in a game that saw the hosts recover from 3-1 down at the KCOM Stadium.Abel Hernandez scored twice from the spot on his first Hull start since August, with Jackson Irvine and Harry Wilson also netting as Norwich suffered a first defeat in eight games.In contrast to their midweek defeat...

Hull City
Millwall
1
2
FT
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Millwall recorded a fifth straight away win in the Sky Bet Championship with a 2-1 victory at Hull.George Saville scored after just 51 seconds and Jake Cooper added a second before half-time, but the visitors were made to sweat after the returning Abel Hernandez pulled one back with 11 minutes left.The Lions held on to extend their unbeaten league run to 10 games and hand Nigel Adkins a first home defeat in charge of Hull.It took the visitors less than a minute to open the scoring. Jed Wallace picked...

Hull City
Barnsley
1
1
FT
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Captain Michael Dawson earned Hull what could prove to be a valuable point in their fight against relegation from the Sky Bet Championship after they drew 1-1 at home with fellow strugglers Barnsley.
On-loan Swansea forward Oliver McBurnie had given the visitors the lead with a first-half header but Dawson shot home with 17 minutes remaining to leave the Tigers three points and two places above the drop zone, one point and one place better off than Barnsley.
The visitors had to replace Adam Jackson...

English Football League clubs have voted to bring forward the deadline for completing permanent deals in the summer transfer window, the governing body has announced.

EFL teams will now be unable to sign players from other clubs beyond 5pm on August 9 in a move that is aligned with the decision Premier League clubs opted to take in September.

The 72 sides in the Championship, League One and League Two will still be able to loan players in until the end of August, while they can also offload members of their squad to a club in any league where their window remains open.

“After discussing the options throughout the course of the last few months, I’m pleased that the matter has been determined by clubs ahead of the start of next season,” EFL chief executive Shaun Harvey said.

“This new approach will give clubs and managers the stability they crave earlier in the season whilst also providing the flexibility to add to their squads after the traditional deadline until the end of month if required.”

Though the revised deadline day for both will be the same, the window will close for Premier League teams before their domestic season begins, with the EFL stating that the date falls on the Thursday after the opening round of league fixtures for its members.

The EFL also announced clubs had voted for a new policy with regards to the definition of a ‘full-strength team’ following the controversy surrounding Birmingham’s win over Huddersfield in April.

Terriers boss David Wagner made 10 changes for the contest after Huddersfield had already secured a play-off spot, and relegation-threatened Blues secured a 2-0 victory.

Birmingham would survive and finish two points clear of the bottom three while Huddersfield, who were ultimately not punished, secured promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs.

The new guidance states: “For any League match played on or after the 4th Thursday in March (including season 2017-18), any team sheet for a league game should include at least 10 outfield players who featured on the team sheet for the League match before.”

The EFL also reiterated its stance on artificial pitches and stated any National League team that wins promotion to League Two must agree to use a grass surface.

Should that criteria not be met by the nominated date, the club that finishes 23rd in League Two, and would otherwise by relegated, would retain their place in the division.

Ryan Mason feels “lucky to be here” and admits the knowledge that playing football again could risk his life has helped him accept the early end to his career.

Mason announced his retirement from playing earlier this week, just under 13 months on from suffering a fractured skull in a sickening clash of heads with Chelsea defender Cary Cahill.

The 26-year-old former Hull and Tottenham midfielder, who won one England cap, told BBC Radio Five Live on Friday: “It’s been quite sad and emotional but at the same time I’ve had so many good luck messages and positive feedback from my career that it has been nice at the same time.

“I’m looking forward to the next chapter now.

“Throughout this last 12 to 13 months it has been a constant battle, but I was always confident that I could get back out on the football pitch.

“But it was probably a week, two weeks ago that I got some pretty conclusive and strong news.”

He added: “I think from day one, recovering, it is just try to be as positive as you can.

“No matter how hard it got, I’ve always been fortunate enough, thinking I’m actually lucky to be here. I always took that mindset.

“I’ve actually been fit and probably waiting really for six or seven months to try to get back out onto the pitch and if someone did give me the all-clear then I probably would have felt pretty confident fitness-wise to go straight back into it.

“It has been difficult because I am physically there.

“But when it is something so sensitive, with your brain and your skull, it does probably make it a little bit easier to accept you are not going to play again, because it could be life-threatening. So that has definitely made it easier.”

The hard-grafting Brazil forward’s smart brace sealed a comfortable Stamford Bridge victory stroll, with Olivier Giroud bagging his first Chelsea goal and Pedro also on target before the half-time whistle.

Willian also showed his savvy side, however, appearing to distract David Meyler with a cheeky comment just before the Hull midfielder missed a second-half penalty.

Meyler turned around and ruffled Willian’s hair – with both men all smiles – but the Hull star’s tame spot-kick was then saved by Willy Caballero.

And so the 29-year-old forward’s low-key labours and wily interventions paid huge dividend once more for Chelsea.

Chelsea proved so dominant as to coast through the entire second half, with under-fire manager Antonio Conte applauding fans for lending support by pointedly chanting his name.

They punished Hull’s nerves without mercy, claiming all four goals in a ruthless first-half showing.

Willian whipped home the opener from 20 yards in just the second minute.

The Brazilian skinned Kevin Stewart, picked his spot and dispatched a stylish opener, that kick-started a goal glut to stun the visitors.

Giroud missed two fine chances with Pedro failing to latch onto a smart throughball in between those failed efforts for the French forward.

Chelsea hardly had to wait for their second goal however, with Pedro hauling down a fine pass from Cess Fabregas, and drilling home.

And when Giroud mugged Stewart just outside the box, Chelsea killed any remaining shred of a Hull fightback. The former Arsenal hitman fed Willian, and the 29-year-old duly rifled in another accurate finish from distance.

Giroud even troubled the scorers himself before the break, stretching backwards smartly to poke home at the near post from Emerson’s low cross.

Hull started the second half the brighter, with Harry Wilson drawing a foul and penalty from Fabregas.

Caballero easily dealt with Meyler’s tame penalty however, thanks potentially in some small part to Willian’s word.

The Chelsea goalkeeper then denied Nouha Dicko with another smart intervention, and one that roused the Blues from their second-half slumber.

Determined to complete his hat-trick, first Willian was just unable to work space to drill home – then saw another teasing effort rebound off the upright.